The government has rebuffed calls to assess whether different rates of Stamp Duty could incentivise property development or sales of energy efficient homes.
Stephen Farry MP for the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland raised in the issue in a parliamentary question to the Treasury this week.
He asked: “Whether (the Chancellor) has made an assessment of the potential merits of using differential rates of Stamp Duty to incentivise the development or purchase of comparatively energy efficient housing.”
But Lucy Frazer, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said there were no current plans for reform of the controversial property tax.
She said: “The Government does not have any plans to reform Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
“SDLT is charged on the purchase of property or land in England and Northern Ireland where the value is over £125,000.
“First-time buyers do not pay any SDLT on purchases below £300,000. Introducing incentives based on energy consumption would add significant complexity to the current operation of the system.
“The Government keeps all taxes under review.”
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